Jewelry with interchangeable decorative element

ABSTRACT

An item of jewelry has a decorative element that is provided with a shaft which interfaces with an annular element such as a ring. A portion of the ring has, within its thickness in the radial direction, a radial notch, followed by a circumferential notch, thus forming approximately a L-shaped notch. An elastically deformable element is accommodated on the inner face of the ring, making it possible to lock the decorative element in position on the annular segment after introducing the shaft as far as the bottom of the L-shaped notch.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09,445,363, filed Dec. 10, 1999, which is a national stage filing of PCT/CH98/00264, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to an item of jewelry provided with at least one annular segment and at least one removable decorative element having a recess which matches a part of the annular segment having means designed to provide, in collaboration with complementary means in the said hollow part of the decorative element, a reversible locking assembly.

[0003] In recent years there has been a trend towards allowing the user of an item of jewelry to personalize the jewelry or to adapt the jewelry to clothing or else to vary the appearance of the jewelry instead of changing it.

[0004] It is known to hold colored spheres in place inside a recess of a ring in such a manner that the finger needs to be in place to prevent the sphere from falling out of its mating recess.

[0005] In Patent FR-B-2 708 180, the inventor proposed a means of fixing a sphere in a ring in a removable manner.

[0006] The inventor now proposes going beyond the fixing of a sphere, which can be a precious stone or any other element having an approximately spherical shape which is to be fixed in a suitable scat, and being able to change other elements on an item of jewelry which has at least one annular segment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The item of jewelry according to the invention has a decorative element that is provided with a shaft which interfaces with an annular element such as a ring. A portion of the ring has, within its thickness in the radial direction, a radial notch, followed by a circumferential notch, thus forming approximately an L-shaped notch. An elastically deformable element is accommodated on the inner face of the ring, making it possible to lock the decorative element in position on the annular segment after introducing the shaft as far as the bottom of the L-shaped notch.

[0008] The advantage of the item of jewelry according to the invention is the fact that it by using simple means, it is easy to exchange one decorative element for another on an item of jewelry having an annular segment, the condition being that this decorative element comprises a hollow part intended to match the part of the annular segment on which it is intended to be fixed. Thus, the user can buy the item of jewelry with one decorative element or several decorative elements which can be easily interchanged as and when desired. That item of jewelry is simple to manufacture and very easy to use, since it suffices to introduce the shaft of the hollow part of the decorative element into the L-shaped notch and to press on the decorative element, by applying a force in the circumferential direction, so as to lock the shaft via the elastic element.

[0009] According to a preferred embodiment, the elastic element is a leaf spring whose end has a rib which ensures the locking of the decorative element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the attached drawing which illustrates a ring provided with a decorative element according to the invention.

[0011]FIG. 1 is a side view, with the decorative element in place.

[0012]FIG. 2 is an exploded view similar to the above.

[0013]FIG. 3 is a view of the decorative element from below.

[0014]FIG. 4 is a section along the line IV-IV in FIG. 2.

[0015]FIG. 5 is a side view of a second embodiment of the invention.

[0016]FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the second embodiment, taken along line II-II.

[0017]FIG. 7 is a break away, side view of the second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0018] The item of jewelry according to the invention comprises a ring 1 and a decorative element 2. The ring 1 comprises a notch 3 having a part 3 a directed radially, followed by a part 3 b directed in the circumferential direction of the ring 1.

[0019] In the inner part of the ring 1, and at the site 1 b of the notch 3 b, a leaf spring 4 is fixed by means of a screw 5 or any other means in such a way that its free end provided with a rib 4 a is situated at the end 1 b of the upper face of the notch 3 b. The decorative element 2 has a hollow part 2 a whose dimensions and shape make it possible to match the ring when the decorative element is arranged on the ring as is represented in FIG. 1. The decorative element 2 has a shaft 2 b whose ends are fixed on two opposite walls of the decorative element 2. When placing the element 2 on the ring by disposing the shaft 2 b in the notch 3 and by first pushing the element radially, and then in the circumferential direction into the notch 3, the shaft 2 b pushes the rib 4 a of the spring 4, and this allows the element 2 to be locked on the ring 1 in a manner which hides the L-shaped notch 3 from view.

[0020] When one wishes to remove the decorative element 2 in order to replace it with another, it suffices to push it the opposite way, first in the circumferential direction in order to unlock the shaft by moving it past the rib 4 a of the spring 4, and then to pull, it back in the radial direction.

[0021] This device makes it very easy to change the decorative element 2 without having to exert any particular force, while at the same time ensuring excellent locking between the two pieces.

[0022] In a second embodiment, shown in FIGS. 5-7, the jewelry includes a locking device 10 which locks the decorative element 2 securely in the L-shaped notch 3. The locking device 10 is a catch 12 which includes a slender, elongated body 14 having a tail end 16 and an abutment end 20, pivoting about a pivot pin 22 and further, having a body feature contact boss 24 adjacent the abutment end 20. The catch 12 pivots substantially within a recess 26 which, when the jewelry is worn, is hidden by the finger or other human body feature on which the jewelry is worn. The body feature contact boss 24 includes a body feature contact surface 30 which is formed with a leading and trailing chamfered surface 32. The tail end 16 is formed to extend from the pivot 22 in such a manner as to step counterclockwise rotation of the catch 12 beyond a certain point in order to assume an open position which permits smooth engagement of the body feature when the body feature moves with respect to the jewelry when the jewelry is placed in its wearing position and to raise the catch 12 into a locked position, shown by phantom lines 18 in FIG. 5.

[0023] The advantage of the second embodiment is that now, the decorative element 2 may be removed without effort when the locking device 10 is in the open position. This allows the leaf spring 4 to be much weaker, due to the fact that the retention of the decorative element 2 in the wearing position is no long dependent on the retaining ability of the leaf spring 4. The leaf spring 4 need now only retain the decorative element 2 against falling to the ground during the interchange from one decorative element to another.

[0024] Such a device can of course also be used on a bracelet or on annular earrings, as well as on other items of jewelry provided with annular segments.

[0025] In relatively large pieces, such as a bracelet, it would of course be possible to mount more than one decorative element, using the same means each time. This affords many possible combinations. 

What is claimed:
 1. Item of jewelry provided with at least one annular segment (1) and at least one removable decorative element (2), wherein the jewelry has interchangeable means made up of interchangeable features comprising, on the decorative element (2), a shaft (2 b), and, on the annular segment (1) within its thickness in the radial direction, a radial notch (3 a) followed by a circumferential notch (3 b) thus forming approximately an L-shaped notch (3), and on an inner face of the annular segment (1), an elastically deformable element (4), whereby the elastically deformable element (4) retains the decorative element (2) in a retained position on the annular segment (1) after introducing the shaft (2 b) as far as the bottom of the L-shaped notch (3), and wherein, the decorative element substantially hides the features of the interchangeable means when the decorative element is in its retained position.
 2. Item of jewelry according to claim 1 , wherein the said elastically deformable element is a leaf spring (4) provided at its end with a locking rib (4 a).
 3. Item of jewelry according to claim 1 , wherein the said annular segment is a ring.
 4. Item of jewelry according to claim 1 , wherein the said annular segment is a bracelet.
 5. Item of jewelry according to claim 1 , wherein the said annular segment is an earring.
 6. Item of jewelry according to claim 1 , wherein the annular segment is provided with means with which it is possible to mount at least two decorative elements in a removable manner.
 7. Item of jewelry according to claim 1 , wherein a catch (12) rotates between a locked and an unlocked position and wherein, when worn, the catch is biased to block the shaft (2 b) in position in the bottom of the L-shaped notch (3).
 8. Item of jewelry of claim 7 , wherein a body member contact boss (24) is provided to contact a part of the body of the wearer when the jewelry is placed into a wearing position.
 9. Item of jewelry of claim 7 , wherein the catch (12) has a tail end which provides a limit stop to its pivoting. 